Holes in the Earth

Nature never
stops to amaze us with its magnificent phenomenon just like these
inexplicable holes in the ground. These holes may be formed gradually
or suddenly, and are found worldwide. This is a list of beautiful
natural holes from around the World, which have become popular tourist
destinations.

1. Dean’s
Blue Hole, Bahamas

Dean’s Blue
Hole is the world’s deepest known blue hole with seawater. It plunges
202 metres (663 ft) in a bay west of Clarence Town on Long Island,
Bahamas.

Dean’s Blue
Hole is named after the family name of local landowners. It is located
in a small bay, divided from the open sea with small peninsula.
Over the last few years this sinkhole has become a scene of world-class
free-diving. [link1,
link2,
map]

2. Bimmah
Sinkhole, Oman

This sinkhole
was formed naturally when the ground over unstable layers collapsed
on itself. There is an underwater tunnel leading to the sea 500
metres (1,650ft) away, leading to a mixing of fresh and sea water
in the hole. It is possible to dive this, however due to possible
extreme tidal conditions, caution is advised.

The Sinkhole
is located about 6km (3.7mi) from Dibab along the coast graded road
from Muscat to Sur. Right now a big motorway is under construction
next to it. [link,
map]

3. The Great
Blue Hole, Belize

The Great Blue
Hole is a large submarine sinkhole off the coast of Belize. It lies
near the center of Lighthouse Reef, a small atoll 70 km (43 mi)
from the mainland and Belize City. The hole is circular in shape,
over 300 m (984 ft) across and 124 m (407 ft) deep. The Great Blue
Hole is a part of the larger Belize Barrier Reef Reserve System,
a World Heritage Site of the United Nations Educational, Scientific
and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).

This is a popular
spot amongst recreational scuba divers, who are lured by the opportunity
to dive in crystal-clear water and meet several species of fish,
including giant groupers, nurse sharks and several types of reef
sharks such as the Caribbean reef shark and the Blacktip shark.
[link,
map]

4. Ik Kil,
Mexico

Ik Kil is a
well known sinkhole outside PistÃ© in the Municipality of
TinÃºm, YucatÃ¡n, Mexico, It is located in the northern
center of the YucatÃ¡n Peninsula and is part of the Ik Kil
Archeological Park near Chichen Itza. It is open to the public for
swimming and is often included in bus tours.

This sinkhole
is open to the sky with the water level about 26 metres (85 ft)
below ground level. There is a carved stairway down to a swimming
platform. Ik Kil is about 60 metres (200 ft) in diameter and about
40 metres (130 ft) deep. There are vines which reach from the opening
all the way down to the water along with small waterfalls. Also,
there are black catfish which swim in the sinkhole. [link,
map]

5. Red Lake,
Croatia

Red Lake is
a sinkhole containing a karst lake near the city of Imotski, Croatia.
It is known for its numerous caves and remarkably high cliffs, reaching
over 241 metres (790ft) above normal water level and continuing
below the water level. The total explored depth of this sinkhole
is approximately 530 metres (1,740ft) with a volume of roughly 25-30
million cubic meters, thus it is the third largest sinkhole in the
world. Water drains out of the basin through underground waterways
that descend below the level of the lake floor. [link,
map]

6. ZacatÃ³n,
Mexico

ZacatÃ³n
is a thermal water filled sinkhole belonging to the ZacatÃ³n
system Â– a group of unusual karst features located in Aldama
Municipality in the northeastern state of Tamaulipas, Mexico. It
is the deepest known water-filled sinkhole in the world with a total
depth of 339 metres (1,112 ft).

ZacatÃ³n is
the only sinkhole of the five located in Rancho La Azufrosa to have
any noticeable water flow. The name ZacatÃ³n comes from the free-floating
islands of zacate grass which move around on the surface with the
wind. [link,
map]

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October
31, 2012